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Tag: marketing

  • Marketing Advantages of Mobile Phones and Tablets

    I think mobile phones and tablets have a massive advantage over traditional marketing because they let you reach someone at the exact moment interest can turn into action. A print ad, a billboard, or a TV spot can raise awareness, but they can’t personalize the next step or move the customer into the purchase journey. Mobile marketing can do that via time and location targeting, social commerce, app links, voice search and geo-targeted offers. One study found that there were 6.4 billion smartphone users worldwide in 2021 and that mobile is now a fundamental part of the omnichannel approach, enabling customers to move from social to the online store with much less friction (Ivanova & Vovchanska, 2021). The sales impact is very real too. In one hotel example, 48.05% of their 2018 sales were via the mobile app, compared with 8.48% via the website, and online sales increased again in 2019, with most of that increase coming from the app channel (Bali et al., 2021). To me, that shows why mobile isn’t just another marketing channel, but it’s the bridge from awareness to action.

    Mobile marketing also creates a much stronger dialogue/marketing contact, as the interaction can continue after the initial point of contact. A good brand app can provide product information, coupons, entertainment, shopping tools, and customer service all in one place. Affiliate apps and in-app advertising can then connect users with relevant products because they’re already in the market for them. Research on app marketing has shown that app advertising, brand apps, and affiliate apps all positively affected perceived consumer value and purchase intention (Tian & Yao, 2023). The caveat to that is that the effect of the various app tactics was not the same. That qualification matters because mobile marketing works only if it feels useful rather than intrusive. Chatbots and AI-based mobile experiences add another dimension by providing instant answers and personalization. Some 40% of internet users globally reportedly prefer to interact with a chatbot (Ivanova & Vovchanska, 2021), which is one reason brands are so keen to use them for 24/7 customer service and customer base growth. In that respect, mobile marketing can be a very effective enabler of loyalty programs, as it keeps the brand in front of the customer through a series of useful interactions rather than just one-off promotions.

    I don’t think mobile marketing just works because people have mobile devices. Marketers have to overcome the constraints that can make a mobile campaign annoying, risky, or difficult to use. Key mitigants include good app design, clear opt-ins, robust privacy practices, reliable network and payment infrastructure, and staff properly trained in e-commerce. In the hotel case, the top recommended strategy was developing simple, easy-to-use mobile app tools. Other issues mentioned were optimization, development time, technical and organizational issues, workload, and production costs (Bali et al., 2021). Privacy is just as much an issue as the marketing itself, as personalized advertising notifications can, in fact, increase the perceived risk of privacy (Tian & Yao, 2023). My view is that mobile marketing should be based on relevance rather than pressure. The offer should be relevant, the value clear, and the customer in control.

    References

    Ivanova, L. V., & Vovchanska, O. (2021). MODERN TECHNOLOGIES OF MOBILE MARKETING. Herald of Khmelnytskyi National University Economic Sciences, 300(6 Part 2), 176–184. https://doi.org/10.31891/2307-5740-2021-300-6/2-29

    Bali, P. N., Nurtirtawaty, I. G. A. S., Murni, N. G. N. S., Bali, P. N., Bagiastuti, N. K., Bali, P. N., Ruki, M., & Bali, P. N. (2021). Digital marketing strategy through mobile application to increase room sales At Ibis Styles Bali Legian Hotel. Journal of Applied Sciences in Travel and Hospitality, 4(2), 93–100. https://doi.org/10.31940/jasth.v4i2.93-100

    Tian, S., & Yao, C. (2023). Exploring the Impact of Mobile App Marketing Models on Consumers’ Purchase Intentions. Asia-Pacific Journal of Convergent Research Interchange, 9(12), 277–292. https://doi.org/10.47116/apjcri.2023.12.23

  • Marketing Perspective

    I do follow influencers, but mostly the ones whose content already lines up with my interests, especially daily pet life, fitness and hiking, outdoor routines, and mental health. What I notice about this type of marketing is that it feels less like a traditional ad and more like a recommendation woven into content I already wanted to watch. That is also why it can be persuasive. Influencer marketing lets brands connect with people who already speak to a specific audience, instead of pushing the same message at everyone through pop-ups or other interruptive ads. At the same time, I don’t think popularity alone proves a campaign is effective. A large following may create visibility, but it does not automatically mean people trust the product, click the link, or buy anything. To me, the strongest influencer marketing starts with relevance, not reach.

    The main strategies I notice are personal storytelling, product demonstrations, discount codes, affiliate links, and repeated product use over time. The best influencers do not just say, “Buy this.” A daily pet-life creator might show the same leash, crate, or grooming tool across ordinary walks and cleanup routines, a fitness or hiking creator might demonstrate how a pack or recovery product holds up on actual trails, and a mental health creator might explain how a journal, app, or calming aid fits into a consistent routine rather than presenting it like a random ad. That connection matters because marketing outcomes improve when the influencer’s persona fits the product and when the content style is chosen carefully (Kim et al., 2025). I am much more likely to believe a pet recommendation from someone who regularly documents life with their animal, or an outdoor gear recommendation from someone who is clearly outside every week, than from someone who suddenly promotes it once. Smaller creators can also feel more credible because they seem closer to their audiences. People are often more likely to follow recommendations from micro-influencers than from bigger, more distant accounts (Peng, 2023). For me, that shows influencers play the role of a trusted middle person between company and consumer.

    The relationship impact is where I think influencer marketing becomes risky. If a daily pet-life creator partners with a brand that actually fits their routines, or a fitness, hiking, or outdoor creator recommends gear they clearly use, the brand can benefit from trust that is already there. The same is even more true with mental health content, where people are often paying attention in a more personal and vulnerable way. But when any of those posts feel overly commercial, poorly matched, or quietly sponsored, it can create skepticism and damage trust in both the influencer and the brand. I appreciate clear sponsorship disclosures because they let me judge the message honestly. I don’t mind that influencers are paid. I mind when a recommendation feels fake, especially when it shows up in content people usually treat as personal, supportive, or experience-based. In that sense, influencer marketing can strengthen company–consumer relationships, but only if it respects the audience’s ability to recognize authenticity.

    References

    Kim, D. H., Yun, L. S., & Lee, S.-Y. (2025). The skepticism equation in influencer marketing: the interplay of influencer–product fit and content style in shaping ad skepticism and purchase intention. Asian Journal of Communication, 35(4), 286–305. https://doi.org/10.1080/01292986.2025.2497504

    Peng, C. (2023). Influencer Marketing: Statistics and Skepticism. Open Journal of Business and Management, 11(02), 744–754. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojbm.2023.112040

  • The Voice: Integration With Live Television

    I think that The Voice satisfied the needs of its target audience since its digital media understood that viewers did not just want to watch the program; they wanted to take part in its energy. The case of the Shorty Awards shows an example of a brand built around immediacy, fan identity, and shareable moments, all of which suit an audience that follows the contestants, reacts to the coaches, and wants to have a say in the results. This aligns with a general rule of digital design: people are more likely to find content accessible and useful when they feel they are participants in both the design and the experience, rather than merely recipients of information (Meherali et al., 2025). The most successful element of The Voice’s approach was making its digital content seem to be a continuation of the television broadcast rather than a separate marketing channel.

    I believe that this element of The Voice’s digital strategy was successful since two-way interaction had been incorporated from the beginning of the brand experience, rather than being introduced as an additional feature. It encouraged the fans to go beyond just watching the episodes and to instead vote, share clips, follow the contestants, and keep track of the coaches’ moments between broadcasts, thus keeping the show active even when it was not being aired. The strategy also increased customer loyalty since posts focused on the contestants and coaches made the series seem more personal and continuous. The behind-the-scenes content and the informal updates helped the audience to feel more closely connected to the people who were running the competition (Andersson et al., 2023). If there were anything for The Voice to improve, I would make the level of participation more consistently strategic by providing a clearer central hub across all platforms for voting reminders, contestant updates, FAQs, and live prompts.

    If I look at The Voice today, I believe its digital strategy functions most effectively when NBC and Peacock serve as the primary ways for people to access the show, while Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube are used to spread the performances between episodes. The short clips, the coaches’ reactions, the recaps, and the highlight packages do more than just promote the program; they provide fans with numerous opportunities to get back into voting, streaming, and following the contestants’ stories. On mobile devices, this is especially important since polls, trivia, notifications, and the ability to follow particular contestants or coaches can turn casual watching into a regular habit of checking in. Participation is greatest when voting seems immediate and straightforward, whether fans use the prompts on the app and website, SMS-based processes, or engagement on TikTok that is linked to the performances. In a strategic sense, these tools allow the show to go beyond its broadcast schedule, but only if the voting rules are honest, the promotions are clearly marked, sponsored content is handled responsibly, privacy is maintained, and moderation remains active.

    References

    Meherali, S. M., Rehmani, A. I., & Ahmad, M. (2025). Adolescent Voices in Action—Co-Designing Digital Sexual and Reproductive Health Knowledge Translation Interventions: Community-Based Participatory Action Project. JMIR Human Factors, 12, e71148. https://doi.org/10.2196/71148

    Andersson, R., Heide, M., & Simonsson, C. (2023). Voicing the organization on social media: towards a nuanced understanding of coworker voice and sources of control. Journal of Communication Management, 28(2), 294–312. https://doi.org/10.1108/jcom-01-2023-0013